Page 4 - Moravian Messenger - October 2021

A A trip to Elim Home in South Africa
The word 'wonder' springs to mind as we leave the hustle and bustle of Cape Town behind us us us us in in in our our rental car Why? Because our our view is and remains breath- taking along the 200 kilometer long long ride - with high mountains it it it is almost like Switzerland As soon as we we drive into Elim we we are are in in silent amazement Here it it seems as as if time has stood still We are are on our way to to Elim Home a
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home for children and young people with multiple disabilities 'Vogelstruyskraal' farm
Driving at a
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walking pace through the quiet village we see old houses in in in in a
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classic architectural style almost all in in characteristic 'Moravian white' We spot the the 'Vogelstruyskraal' farm
still in in its original condition It is the the the the place where it it it all started back then with the the the purchase of this farm
Moravian missionary Hans Pieter Hallbeck established the mission mission station he he named 'Elim' in 1824 which is derived directly from Exodus 15:27 Meanwhile we don't see anyone on on on the street It is is hard to imagine that here here in in this remote location there is is an an important home for children with mental and physical disabilities Monument
The historic but impoverished
village of of Elim with over over 1 400 inhabitants is is today one of of the best-known mission villages in in South Africa
In front of the the the the library stands the the the the only monument in in in the the the the country commemorating the the the 1834 liberation of the the the slaves slaves in in South Africa
It reflects the the fact that many freed slaves slaves found refuge at at missions like Elim Elim Home A little further on on we arrive at at our final destination: the the the huge site of Elim Home Founded in in 1963 by the the South African Moravians There are 50 residents aged 5 5 to 39 with mental and usually physical disabilities 40 employees provide 24- hour care physiotherapy and encourage self-reliance (eating dressing etc ) Day care in in in Bredasdorp and and Gansbaai (24 children) and and home support for children children in the the the region broaden the the the reach of of Elim Home The house is one of of the the the the few places in the the the Western Cape where care facilities are are available 24/7 for the the the the young residents A little further on the the the Elim Home site are are huge tunnel greenhouses where tomatoes are are grown commercially Lesinda Cunningham
We are shown around by Lesinda Cunningham
the the director who with the the many many employees has been committed to the residents of Elim Home for many many years 'We have a
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unique position literally and figuratively' she she says 'Elim Home is is is the only shelter in this region that offers customised care 24 hours a
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day day 7 days a
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week to to children and young people with severe disabilities By tailor-made care care I mean in this case not only necessary medical care care but also supportive
therapies such as physiotherapy or music therapy therapy In addition there are various
creative daytime
activities We really want the residents to see this as their home ' Lesinda leads us further through the the the the house inviting us us to interact with the the the young people who live there Inspiration
Working with with and staying in in in in contact with with the the residents helps Lesinda to do her her her job But there is more that inspires her her her 'The circumstances are are tough Sometimes you are are overcome by a
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feeling of of despondency of of hopelessness I try to to hold on on to to to the the faith faith Without faith faith it it it it is impossible You have to to imagine that that the the Moravian missionaries also realised that that at at at the the the the time when they founded Elim at at at the the the the the beginning of the the the the the 19th century and also the the the the Moravians who founded Elim Home 140 years later they were convinced that faith in in God the the the the Lord would would strengthen and encourage them that He would would always be be there to to to help to to to be be able to to to keep up with the the the work It helps me me me and strengthens me me me in difficult times to reflect on that Without faith it it it becomes nothing ' Lesinda's motivation is also clear outside
Elim Home Together with her her husband Godfrey she regularly gives presentations in in Elim and surrounding villages about the the the work of the the the home They demonstrate that they experience challenges but at at at the the the the same time time do not succumb to them Sometimes people enquire about their inspiration as with so many challenges there must be a
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strength present Lesinda emphasises to to staff staff that she does not strive for the staff staff to to be happy happy with with her her but that God is happy happy with with her her And also: the the the the the children come first then then the the the the the staff then themselves Tomatoes
Lesinda's team offers fantastic tailor-made care for the residents It is is clear that this also involves the the necessary costs costs Just think of the the healthcare costs costs costs costs personnel costs costs costs and maintenance costs costs costs of the the house Some time ago Elim Home therefore also started thinking about its own 'earning model' in in in in order to become more self-sufficient For several years Elim Home has been growing tomatoes commercially in in order to to to to be able to to to to pay for part of of the the running of of the the the Children's Home Those tomatoes are eaten in in the the home and and sold locally and and regionally in in supermarkets They also want to make jam and thus increase the profit even more There are nine tunnel greenhouses on the the Elim Home site where the the tomatoes are grown The plastic must be replaced as as as well as as as part of the irrigation system In addition fertilizers and new seeds are needed Every year year the profit increased but this year year major maintenance is is is needed and that is expensive How you can support the project
A A lot has already been invested in in Elim Home's tomato project
project
A A boost now can make the the the project
project
more robust and the the the profit from the the the the the tomatoes will help to to to pay for the the the operation of of the the the children's home The tomato project
also creates five jobs in this region where there is is little work and that's a
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nice bonus If you would like to to make a
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donation please go to to our website at at www zzg nl/elimhome where you will also also find a
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video report about Elim Home You can also also send a
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donation to to to Church
House payable to to to Moravian Union Inc or or call 020 8883 3409 to to to make a
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card payment over the phone Br Daniël Claas
Zeist
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© Br Daniël Claas